Community Shines at Rotary Club of Pago Pago’s Golf Tournament!

Joey Cummings
2 days ago
5 min read

February 28, 2026 – Ili‘ili Golf Course

The Rotary Club of Pago Pago's Annual Golf Tournament and Raffle delivered one of its strongest showings in recent memory on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Ili'ili Golf Course. Nearly 120 golfers took to the course for a day of fun and fundraising.

Of the 69 teams, 104 players entered the special contests: Hole in One, Closest to the Pin, and Closest to the Line. The competition was fierce. In the Closest to the Line contest, the winner dropped their shot within 1.5 inches of the rope!

The Hole in One contest, sponsored by Samoa Motors, offered the prize of a brand-new Ford Maverick XL AWD to anyone who could ace Hole #9. Nobody did but the possibility had every golfer’s head swimming with visions of driving the truck home!

Paul Harris Sponsor: TBAS

The Territorial Bank of American Samoa once again stepped up as our Paul Harris Sponsor, the club's highest golf sponsorship package valued at $5,000. CEO Owen Peery and the entire TBAS team have been steadfast partners in supporting Rotary's community projects across the territory, and their generosity sets the tone for everything the club does. Fa'afetai tele lava, TBAS.

Quick fact: The Paul Harris Sponsor designation honors Paul Harris, the American attorney who founded Rotary International in 1905 with a vision of friendship, fellowship, and community service that has since grown into a global movement.

Everyone was shooting for a Hole In One to win this new Ford from Samoa Motors!

Sponsors Make It Happen

This tournament doesn't happen without the businesses and organizations that believe in what Rotary does. We thank our major sponsors GHC Reid & Company (The Family of Fine Beverages) for the refreshments, 93KHJ for the abundance of advertising support, and Pago Print Shop provided the backbone of the event's logistics and visibility. A special shoutout to Billy and the Pago Print Shop team for always taking such care and pride in printing raffle tickets not just for the Rotary tournament but for many other community organizations

CFO Plus, LLC sponsored and organized the registration table, keeping the morning's check-in running smoothly and the reconciliation airtight. That kind of behind-the-scenes contribution is easy to overlook and impossible to replace.

Lunch was catered by our friends at Sadie's by the Sea, with plates heaped with local Samoan favorites that kept players fueled for a second round of golf in the afternoon.

Raffle prize sponsors provided the excitement:

Samoa Motors – Ford Maverick XL AWD (Hole in One, Hole #9)
Bluesky – Samsung S24
Neil's Ace Home Center – Whirlpool Electric Range
Cost U Less – 75" Smart TV
Toolshop – Echo Trimmer & Echo Blower
Transpac – GE Countertop Microwave
GHC Reid – Beverage Cooler
Cash prizes – $1,500 and $1,000

Vailima Pure Is Back

One of the day's most celebrated moments had nothing to do with a golf shot. GHC Reid & Company chose the tournament as the stage for the reintroduction of Vailima Pure. Hole #9 became ground zero for American Samoa's first taste of the returning favorite. Plus, Vailima Pure Draft was flowing at the prizegiving. Malo lava, Vailima Pure. Welcome back to the rock.

The Next Generation Shows Up

One of the most memorable storylines of the day was the participation of junior golfers from the Junior Golf Association of American Samoa, several of whom were competing in their very first tournament. Sisters Char and Aggie MacKenzie were also representing the Leo Club of South Pacific Academy, sponsored by the Lions Club of Pago Pago.

For the full story on the junior golfers and how they lit up the course, read our feature here:

Next Generation of Golfers Shine at Rotary's Annual Golf Tournament

Interact Shows Up in Orange

More than 40 Interact Club students arrived ready to work, dressed in their signature bright orange shirts and representing five clubs: Leone High School, Tafuna High School, Fa'asao Marist High School, Pacific Horizons Club, and Manumalo Academy. They helped serve food, assisted Rotarians around the course, and kept operations humming throughout the day.

At Hole 10, Kim and Inver from Fa'asao Marist Interact spent the entire morning alongside a Rotarian, measuring and carefully recording results for the Closest to the Line contest. In between shots, there was time to get to know them a little. Kim is passionate about Environmental Sciences. Inver wants to write code to build his own Roblox games. Both are exactly the kind of young people Rotary hopes to inspire.

Service Above Self… To the Very End

The tournament wrapped, the cleanup was done, and Fundraising Chair Moeroa Hardman headed for her car only to find a flat tire. After a full day of organizing one of the club's biggest events, she wasn't done just yet. Luckily, Rotarians Dorian, Vili, and Joe were on hand to install the spare and get Moe back on the road.

As Rob Hardman put it in the club's group chat: "Truly 'Service Above Self.'"

After a long day of fundraising, Dorian changes a flat tire for Moe!

In Their Own Words

"We received great feedback from players throughout the day. Everything ran smoothly on the outside, and there was plenty of perseverance required behind the scenes — but as Rob Hardman put it, 'Service Above Self.' This was a team achievement, and I especially want to acknowledge the leadership of our Fundraising Chair Moeroa Hardman and the entire fundraising committee. Every person in that group was essential to making this a fully successful event. The tournament came together the way it did because the people who make it happen are simply amazing." - Club President Raymond Dāvid

Mr. President up early to install the Hole Sponsorship signs. Talk about commitment!

Why It Matters

The proceeds from this tournament fuel Rotary's community service work throughout the year like dictionary distributions to every third-grade student in American Samoa, senior recognition programs, school technology donations, high school hygiene cabinet replenishment, and environmental clean-ups. Every team entry, every raffle ticket, every hole sponsorship goes directly back to the community. Final fundraising totals will be announced soon.

If you missed this year, don't wait for next year to get involved. Reach out to the Rotary Club of Pago Pago and find out how you can serve.

Fa'afetai tele lava to every golfer, sponsor, volunteer, and supporter who made February 28, 2026, one for the record books. Finally, a special acknowledgement to Justin, La and the other Rotarians who helped assemble the information and photos for this article. Fa'afetai!

Rotary Club of Pago Pago — Service Above Self since 1969